That's how it should be, a promise of benefits.
Seeing that the unyielding situation finally loosened up, Shi Chun immediately perked up, ignoring Wu Jinliang's doubt entirely.
He used both hands and feet to crawl a few steps closer, sitting beside her with bright eyes and asked, "Really?"
Xiang Lan'er gazed into his eyes, "If what you say is true, then I'm true as well."
The remaining meaning was naturally, if you lie, then so do I.
Shi Chun roughly understood, but he still confirmed, "What do you mean?"
Xiang Lan'er: "If your reason for going to Wukang Mountain is as simple as you said, then what I'm saying is true as well."
Shi Chun's reason for entering Wukang Mountain, saying it was to find someone, was surely false, but Shi Chun would never admit it.
He wholeheartedly assured, "It's true, couldn't be truer. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."
Xiang Lan'er: "Then what I say is also true. Now let me go."
"This..."
Shi Chun hesitated, "If I just let you go, what if you go back on your word and attack us?"
Wu Jinliang nodded along, "Exactly, exactly."
Xiang Lan'er: "Once we cooperate, there's no need to worry about Bian Weikang waking up. You can wake him up first, have him lift the restrictions on me, and with him watching, you should feel at ease, right?"
Shi Chun couldn't help but laugh bitterly; he had considered this method long ago, but it wasn't reliable at all.
"Why should I feel at ease? That guy would be eager to lick your feet once you're free. Even if you kill us right in front of him, he'll believe whatever story you spin afterward."
Wu Jinliang nodded again, "Exactly, exactly, we need to be more prudent."
Xiang Lan'er was visibly calmer now, not angry anymore, speaking calmly, "You don't trust the Three-Lineage Covenant, you don't trust the slave contract, you don't trust waking up Bian Weikang. You are overly suspicious. Tell me, what do you trust? Since you trust nothing, why keep me here then?"
Shi Chun thought to himself, do you think I want to keep you here? Feng Chi is already gone, and you're the only one I know from the demonic path; my cultivation can only rely on you.
He said earnestly, "I don't trust anything else, only your promise. As long as you promise my safety and take me into Wukang Mountain, I'll release you. The rest, be it fortune or disaster, will be my own doing, and I'm willing to gamble my life."
Wu Jinliang found this familiar, turning his head to look at the sky, he wasn't willing to believe Shi Chun would gamble his life on a stranger's promise easily.
Xiang Lan'er gazed at Shi Chun for a while and finally spoke slowly, "I promise, as long as your purpose for going to Wukang Mountain is as simple as you said, after lifting the restrictions on me, I won't harm you, guarantee your safety, and take you into Wukang Mountain. Once inside, we won't interfere with each other, thus won't cause trouble for each other. Are you satisfied?"
"Great, straightforward!" Shi Chun applauded and smiled brightly.
He had been fleeing with this girl all along, just waiting for her to soften and make a promise.
The rest he had already calculated in his mind.
Without another word, he stood up, took out the banknotes he had just tucked away from his money pouch, walked aside, and waved Wu Jinliang over.
Wu Jinliang didn't know why he took out money, but he followed along.
Once they were aside, hiding behind a tree, Shi Chun whispered instructions to Wu Jinliang, handing over ten thousand gold's worth of banknotes to him.
Taking the money, Wu Jinliang emerged from behind the tree, cast a few glances at Xiang Lan'er, then sprinted into the mountain forest, once again enduring laborious travel.
Shi Chun leisurely walked back between Xiang Lan'er and Bian Weikang, then comfortably laid down, cradling his head with his folded arms resting on a sword, swinging his leg and humming.
After a while, Xiang Lan'er spoke again, "Still not releasing me? Are you going back on your word?"
Shi Chun: "No rush, let's wait a bit. Once my brother is far away, I'll naturally release you."
Xiang Lan'er immediately understood.
He was sending someone away to set a contingency plan, so if any promises were broken, someone would reveal everything, exposing her demonic path identity.
This would definitely ruin her plans on Wukang Mountain, providing much more restraint than a mere slave contract, complementing it as a dual insurance.
She showed a look of disdain, "Is this what you mean by only trusting my promise?"
The other party guessed correctly but Shi Chun wouldn't admit it.
He earnestly said, "Miss Xiang, you might have misunderstood. I can gamble with my life, but I can't let my brother gamble his life. I merely sent him ahead."
He quietly added in his mind, as long as you know, the fear was if you didn't.
Alright, this explanation could work.
Xiang Lan'er fell silent.
Shi Chun, however, didn't fall silent, "Who was that filthy old man?"
"Don't know."
"He said he saw you at Graceful Cloud Pavilion."
"Never seen him. With a face like that, I'd remember if I had."
"Feng Chi might know. I wonder what's her situation now."
Shi Chun sighed.
With the old man's terrifying strength, Madame Fengchi's life might be doomed.
Worry surfaced on Xiang Lan'er's face as well.
After almost an hour, watching the sky change, Shi Chun finally got up, walked over to Bian Weikang, fiddled around, and woke him up.
Bian Weikang, sitting up, looked around and asked, "Where are we?"
Shi Chun shook his head, "No idea, suddenly got attacked and knocked out. I just woke up. Ah?" Upon seeing Xiang Lan'er, he acted as if seeing a monster, leaped over, blocking Bian Weikang's view, quickly lifting the restriction on Xiang Lan'er and turned back saying, "Miss Xiang is hurt."
Having regained her freedom, Xiang Lan'er casually blocked him and stood up, shaking her head, "Just some scratches, it's nothing."
That's a relief.
Bian Weikang let out a sigh but still held her carefully, puzzled, "What on earth happened? I got knocked out while picking wild fruits and didn't even see who did it."
Shi Chun didn't care what happened, having shifted the blame already.
He left the storytelling to Xiang Lan'er, focusing instead on his safety, fearful she might go back on her word and attack, staying highly vigilant.
In pursuit of his goals, this was indeed risking his life.
He even had a bit of Xiang Lan'er's blood on him.
Xiang Lan'er, unwilling to elaborate, shrugged, "Don't know. I just woke up too. I'm going to deal with my wounds," and turned to leave, casting a glance at Shi Chun feigning ignorance.
Bian Weikang initially intended to help her with the wounds, but seeing the locations of her injuries were inappropriate for him to step in due to their current relationship, he could only nod in concern.
He then turned to Shi Chun, whispering and trying to figure out what had happened, wondering why Wu Jinliang had vanished?
Shi Chun offered nothing but perfunctory responses.
Discussing serious matters with someone like Bian Weikang seemed pointless.
Once Xiang Lan'er treated her wounds and reappeared, she indeed didn’t trouble Shi Chun further, acting as if she couldn’t care less to even look at him.
In the vast, endless primordial forest, finding a person was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Under the joint recommendation of Shi Chun and Xiang Lan'er, Bian Weikang abandoned the search for Wu Jinliang.
After determining the direction, the three continued their journey to Wukang Mountain...
Two days later, in an office room, Miao Yilan, bent over a desk writing, suddenly heard familiar footsteps.
She turned and saw it was indeed her mother.
She smiled warmly and set down her pen, about to stand when Lan Qiaoyan pressed her shoulder, preventing her.
Lan Qiaoyan glanced at the writings, nodding with a smile, "I see you're becoming more proficient. You seem to have the knack for managing these accounts."
Knowing her mother didn't come here idly, Miao Yilan curiously asked, "Mother, is something the matter?"
Lan Qiaoyan first silently flipped through the account book, then asked, "Has Shi Chun returned the forty thousand sandalwood gold to you?"
Miao Yilan nodded, "He gave an extra ten thousand, calling it interest. In total, he returned fifty thousand. Old Dong delivered it that very evening, fulfilling the promise."
Lan Qiaoyan turned a page, remarking mildly, "I've heard some news. Cao Puqing's nephew, Cen Futong, died. When the nephew didn't return on the day of the transaction, Cao Puqing sensed something might have happened and sent people to investigate. They later found several bodies in the mountains, mostly eaten by beasts. Cao Puqing's nephew's body was buried among rocks, relatively intact, alongside another body identified from the Exile Lands, a man known as Skinny Monkey."
Unable to hold back, Miao Yilan stood up, puzzled, "Was it Shi Chun's doing? Weren't they there for a transaction? Why would they kill?"
Lan Qiaoyan shook her head, "From traces at the scene, it wasn't Shi Chun's group. A more skilled individual was involved. Generally, someone like Shi Chun wouldn't engage in such actions. He should have known Cao Puqing was aware of the trading party. Yet Shi Chun returned the money to you, making the matter somewhat peculiar. Now, Cao Puqing is looking for him. Moreover, Graceful Cloud Pavilion suddenly changed hands at a low price, and Madam Fengchi fled."
Miao Yilan was momentarily stunned, promptly saying, "I'll call Old Dong and Big Stone to inquire."
Lan Qiaoyan kept her eyes on the account book, not objecting, clearly wanting to understand the matter too.
Just as Miao Yilan was about to leave, greetings sounded outside, "Is Chief Lan here?"
Turning slightly, Lan Qiaoyan called out, "Come in."
A round-faced man hurried in, paying his respects before speaking, "Chief Lan, Lu Taizhen's manager, Cao Puqing, has come. He wishes to see Old Dong and Big Stone. The host said these two were recommended by you, asking for your opinion first."
(Chapter end)